New DSLR, but need advice on which one

Hello everyone,

as you can see this is my first post here. It's because I don't know where to go from here and figured maybe someone in this forum might be able to help me.

I'm planning on buying a camera (with a lens or two) in the coming weeks but just can't figure out which one possibly the most suitable one. I'd appreciate it if some experienced photographers could help me with my first steps in chosing one.

Now on to what I'm looking for and what I have found out yet.

Budget is up to $1500 tops, 1000 would be better. I will use the camera for photography almost exclusively. I don't plan on making videos therefore video quality is negligible. As for the photography, I plan on doing mainly countryside/landscape/nature photos. The camera will - of course - accompany me on city trips and serve when shooting pictures at family meetings and such. There's also the chance that I'll be doing a bit of sports fotography (skiing, ...).

Features that I'd like / think are useful the way I use the camera are:

- a rather high frequency on continuous shooting (10+ fps maybe???)
- GPS
- a very stable body, resistant to water and dust

I'm not sure if it's smarter to go for a new body and lens or look for something used. When looking for used ones my resources are quite limited. I'd have to rely on the internet, ie ebay and so on.

The most suitable camera I have found so far is the Sony A77. As you can see with me writing this tread though, I have no idea if this would be a smart choice.

I appreciate any advice, ideas and input that helps me find a good set. Thanks!

One more thing ... I'm thankful for advice on good online shops (or hints where I can get good prices).

Re: New DSLR, but need advice on which one

Don't expect to find GPS on any used cameras, that feature has not been around very long.

Used lenses can be found on sites like Adorama, BHphotovideo, and KEH. However only the more expensive lenses will have weather proofing.

My suggestion is to start with a cheap camera that lacks these various features. There are lots of nice cameras for $500 or less (new and used) that you can learn the ropes on. Later move on to an advanced camera if you are still convinced about the importance of those features.

Re: New DSLR, but need advice on which one

The top DSLR's in your price range with weather-sealing are the Canon 60D and 70D, the Nikon D7100, the Sony SLT A77 and the Pentax K-3. They are all outstanding DSLR's. The Sony A77 is the smallest and lightest weight of the group because it lacks a mirror. It also has the fastest continuous shooting ability of the group and is the only one with a built-in GPS. It has an electronic viewfinder (a mini LCD) rather than the traditional optical viewfinder but the electronic viewfinder is very bright and sharp and does a very good job.

The Canon 60D is the older version of the 70D and is also an excellent DSLR. It's substantially larger and heavier than the SLT-A77 because it is a traditional DSLR with a mirror.

Re: New DSLR, but need advice on which one

My 50D body has weather sealing, but not any of my lenses. Those lenses are above my budget. The least expensive weather sealed lenses are Pentax, if you can find them.

The Canon 600D is a solid choice for a beginner. Canon production QC is very good. The differences in results you can expect with the different brands are quite subtle. For a beginning JPG shooter Canons may have an edge for outdoor situations, especially portraits and sports.

For anybody who expects to end up with a lot of different lenses, then a detail examination of the different brands' lenses is in order. No one brand beats the others across the board. Each brand has it sweethearts and clinkers. So fussy photographers can make their brand choice around their favorite lens. For the standard 2-lens kit however, there is no difference.

The preferred telephoto kit zoom for Canon is the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II model. Which is nice for distant subjects, such as at zoos and outdoor sports. For just shooting your friends, up fairly close, such a telephoto is not needed. Anyways, if you do go the Canon Rebel route, make sure that is the telephoto you are getting. There are others that do not measure up.

My 2nd lens was an UltraWideAngle, not a telephoto, so different strokes for different folks (I do not shoot sports).

Re: New DSLR, but need advice on which one

These UWA lenses are regarded as rather specialized, the standard 18-55 is wide enough at 18mm for most folks. Where a UWA lens is really nice is when shooting inside tight spaces (no way to back up). I got this Sigma instead of the usual 10-22 Canon for the Sigma's lower price.

Re: New DSLR, but need advice on which one

Friday was decision time and - as expected - it turned out to be the Nikon D3100 (used, 200 shots). It came with the standard 18-55 standard lens and I added the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300 mm 1:4,5-5,6G ED VR plus a battery and a backpack. All together it was for EUR 550 which is about half my budget.

Now it's on to learning my way around the camera. I hope the book 'David Busch's Nikon D3100 Guide to Digital SLR Photography' will help me with that.

Thanks a lot to you, Kelly, for suggesting an entry level camera. You were pretty much the only one suggesting that (most others just stuck to my budget suggestion) and I think it was the right decision. Thanks!!!